Application of Logistic Regression on the Analysis of Chilean Children's Fears / Aplicación de la regresión logística al análisis de los miedos de los niños chilenos

ABSTRACT

The research aimed at finding some deciding factors in Chilean children's fears. For carrying out this study, a survey was administered to children be' tween 6 and 11 years old through personal interviews, under their teachers' supervision and parents' permission. The measuring instrument was based on the questionnaire adaptation "Fear Survey for Children; revised, FSSC-R". The sample consisted of 729 children of both genders and from different socioeconomic strata and areas (urban and rural). For its examination, a Factorial Analysis of Main Components was applied, resulting that fears can be grouped into five factors Daily life, Supernatural facts, Health, Natural disasters and Self-esteem. Thanks to this, a weighted index of fears was built. Through a Logistic Regression Model, some possible deciding factors in children's fears were analysed. For example, it was found that living in the city or in the country is not a significant factor when determining children's fears. On the other hand, the factors that turned out to be significant are the gender, finding terrifying images on the internet, the socioeconomic level that each child belongs to and, being able to manage on his or her own when the child confronts a frightening event.

RESUMEN

La investigación tuvo como objetivo encontrar algunos factores determinantes del miedo en los niños chilenos. Para realizar el estudio, se administró una encuesta a 729 niños entre los 6 y 11 años de edad. El instrumento de medición se basó en una adaptación del cuestionario "Fear Survey Schedule for Children - Revised, FSSC - R". Luego, para el examen de los datos se realizó un análisis factorial exploratorio que agrupó los miedos en cinco factores los que posteriormente permitieron construir un índice ponderado de miedos. Finalmente, a través de un modelo de regresión logística y usando una categorización del índice ponderado de miedos como variable dependiente, se encontraron algunos factores determinantes de los miedos infantiles. Entre estos están el género, encontrar imágenes atemorizantes en internet, el nivel socioeconómico y la auto'suficiencia para enfrentar situaciones de miedo.